A Proud Salute: A Terminal Orders One Shot
by Headbanger Rockstar
Summary: Terminal Orders Universe. Tony learns the meaning and importance of Veteran's Day. Jethro gives him a special job to remember. Rated K. Story takes place during "Daddy's Boy." One Shot. Very light angst. Happy Veteran's Day!


_**Author's Note: Special thanks to all of the Veterans on this Veteran's Day. Standing up for what you believe in, defending your homeland, fighting for freedoms, protecting your loved ones, paying the ultimate prices and making huge sacrifices…you all deserve all of our respect and all of our love. Blessings too you and your families on this special day.**_

_This story takes place shortly after Tony was returned to Jethro and Shannon from the other foster home in Daddy's Boy. _

_Thanks to my wonderful beta reader, Gotgoats! She, despite being smurfy, was wonderful and beta'ed this for me. You're amazing! I love you!_

**A Proud Salute:  
**_**A Terminal Orders One Shot  
**_**by Headbanger_Rockstar**

Little Tony was sitting on the bed in his Shannon and Jethro's bedroom. His feet swang back and forth and he was staring in awe at the man he wanted to be his new daddy. Jethro was moving methodically and slowly through getting dressed, making sure every single detail was perfect, making sure that his uniform was absolutely pristine and free of any blemish. He was wearing his blue uniform today—Tony liked that one the best. He smiled as he watched his daddy put on his shirt and give the sleeves a gentle tug to make sure they were straight.

"You got a go a work a'day?" Tony asked his Jethro softly.

Jethro looked at him and smiled, but shook his head. "Not exactly," he said. "Today is a special day. We're going to a parade. I'm going to be in it."

"What is a parade?" Tony wanted to know.

Jethro fastened his belt and made sure it was as it should be. "A parade is a special kind of party," Jethro explained. "People go and they watch a parade. Sometimes there's music, sometimes people who are dressed up in costumes, sometimes people who do silly things. Today's parade is a special parade for friends of mine."

"What friends?"

"They are some special friends. Some of them are in heaven, some of them you've met. Some of them aren't in the military anymore," Jethro explained softly.

"In heaven? Like my m-mean-mommy?" Tony still said her name softly, as though he was afraid it would summon her back.

"Yeah Tony. Sometimes…" Jethro sighed. "Sometimes people who do jobs like I have…they get hurt, sometimes they die. Today is a special day when we celebrate people who are in the military, and remember people who have died doing their jobs."

"Are you going to die at work?" Tony's eyes flashed with fear. He didn't want to think about his Jethro going to heaven where he could never see him again.

Jethro smiled and hugged Tony. "I have no plans to die," he said gently. "My plans are to watch you grow up into a nice young man, and get very old and give you a hard time."

"But what if you die onna assident?" Tony insisted. He needed to know.

"Well. If I do, then you have to remember that I was doing my work. And my work is to keep everybody safe. And I hope that you would be strong, and be proud of me, and even if you miss me I hope you would be brave, and would remember that I love you very much, and I love Mommy and Kelly very much, and I love my work, and I love my country."

"That a lot a things a a-member," Tony said softly, his eyes wide.

"It is a lot of things to remember," Jethro nodded sympathetically. "And it might be very hard for you to do. But I think you are a big brave boy and I think you can do it. And you remember what brave means, right?"

Tony sighed and nodded. "It means that we do what we gotta do even if we's scared," he recited softly.

Jethro hugged his boy a little tighter. "That's right son," he said. "Can you do it?"

Tony looked up at him for a long moment, his lower lip trembling just slightly. Looking at his daddy though, he could see how brave he was. He looked like Superman in his uniform. "I can do it," he said. "I might screw up," his voice got softer. "I do that some."

"Oh Tony I think that in this situation it is very understandable if you don't get it right the first time. The important thing is you know I love you. And I know you love me. OK?"

Tony smiled. "Ok," he said.

**xxx**

Tony was surprised as how many people were out on base today. Usually he saw lots of people, but today there was even more than normal. Everybody was there! All the mommies and daddies and kids from the neighborhood and the school were there. He was a bit confused when everyone started sitting down on the sidewalks and on the curbs next to the street. He was a bit cold in the brisk November weather, and he shivered lightly in his jacket. He squinted up at Shannon, who was difficult to see because of the sun shining behind her. Her auburn hair made her head look it was on fire and Tony smiled up at her. "You hair is pretty Shannon," he said.

"Thank you Sweetie," Shannon said with her easy smile and gentle laugh. "You are looking pretty dapper yourself."

"What's dapper?" Tony wanted to know.

Shannon knelt near him and wrapped an arm around his hip. She winked at him. "It means handsome. Like Daddy."

Tony blinked in confusion and looked at Shannon. "But…but I do not look like him?"

Shannon smiled sadly and ruffled the child's hair. "No sweetheart. You don't look exactly like him. But that doesn't really matter. You're handsome just the same. Quite dapper."

Tony giggled. "Dapper sound silly," he giggled.

Tony flinched hard when several gunshots sounded behind him. Shannon sat down on the curb and pulled him into her lap. "Gonna be ok," she said. "You're safe. This is the parade. We're going to see the Marine Corps band, and we're going to get to see Daddy in his uniform with his unit marching down the street in a few minutes. You'll have to help me watch for him."

Tony watched in awe as the older men moved down the street first. Some walked slowly, some walked with assistance; some were pushed in wheelchairs, their laps covered in blankets. Tony could see that each of them was dressed in their uniforms, though their uniforms all looked a bit different than Jethro's did. He heard people around him murmuring about World War Two, Korea, and Vietnam. He didn't understand what any of that meant, so he kept quiet and continued watching. All around him, people were holding little American flags. Tony had one too, but he wasn't sure what he was supposed to be doing with it. He heard people whistling and hooting, making all sorts of calls and noises, but everyone sounded happy, so Tony tried not to feel afraid.

He watched as the men and women moving down the street seemed to get younger and younger looking. Tony leaned his head on Shannon's shoulder as the band passed, its loud horns and drums making Tony nervous. He'd never seen ANYTHING like this before!

After the band passed by, Tony started seeing bigger groups of people walking down the street together. He smiled shyly when he recognized some of them. A couple of the guys winked as they passed by, and Tony could hear soft giggles. He watched one little boy across the street who was playing and jumping around. The little boy suddenly stopped though, and he smiled at one of the men walking down the street. He raised his hand slowly and lifted it to his forehead in a neat salute. In his other hand, he held one of the little American flags that everyone had. The little boy held his position, and smiled when the unit passing by suddenly stopped. Tony's attention was drawn to one man in the unit, a man whose eyes were on the little boy saluting, even though his body had not moved. After a moment, the parade began moving again and the unit moved on. Tony's attention returned to the little boy who turned around to the woman standing behind him. Tony figured that must be his mommy.

"Did you see me Mommy? I showed Daddy how I'm so proud of him! I saluted him!"

The woman smiled and ran her hand through the little boy's hair. "I saw him looking at you too, Peter," the lady told him. "He's so proud of you too."

Tony watched as several more groups of marines walked by. A group of kids walked by, each of them waving banners and flags, wearing huge smiles and red, white, and blue clothing.

It was behind that group that Tony saw it. The next unit approaching had several people in it that Tony recognized. And there was his Jethro! He was in the front line of the group coming up next, staring straight ahead, and Tony wasn't even sure if Jethro would see him standing there. He thought about what the little boy across the street had done for his daddy though, and he bit his lower lip nervously. A quick glance around told him that Kelly was bouncing around with Maddie Tyler, and Shannon was mostly watching the parade, but was also talking quietly with Maddie's mommy, Myra.

The group started walking towards them, and Tony stood up.

"I's brave," he murmured to himself. "I's stwong. I's proud of my Jethro. I's brave and proud," he murmured softly to himself over and over again as he made his way to the front of the group on the sidewalk.

Shannon stopped talking when she saw what Tony was doing. Her jaw dropped slightly and tears filled her eyes. There was Tony, precious, wonderful, lovable Little Tony with his little broken body, and he was standing at the edge of the crowd, his back straighter than she'd ever seen it, a small, shy grin on his face. His right hand was raised to his forehead, just as the other little boy had done to his own daddy, just as thousands of soldiers did every single day. In his other hand he held the small flag that Shannon had gotten for him. She put a hand on Myra's arm to stop her quiet chatter, and she pointed at her youngest child.

"Oh Tony," Myra breathed, her own chest puffing with pride over a child that wasn't even hers. "Oh Shannon he's so sweet!"

Shannon smiled at Tony, though the child didn't see it. And then she looked up at Jethro, who was standing in formation, his body just as it should be. He had one eye on his CO and one eye on his son. His beautiful, wonderful son. His brave boy.

Shannon rose to her feet and moved up next to Tony. She too, lifted her hand in a proud salute of the unit, of the Corps before her. These men and women would gladly lay down their lives for their country, their freedom, and their rights. They were normal, everyday people, nothing special or extravagant…and yet, their willingness to give so much, to make such huge sacrifices—even their own lives—it made them both special and extravagant. They were a group to be proud of. A group to be respected. They were brave. They were powerful. They were strong. They were family. The young mother realized that Tony was murmuring something next to her. She lowered her salute and dropped to a knee next to Tony.

"I's brave. I's stwong. I's proud of my Jethro," Tony murmured it over and over to himself, just barely audible.

"You're amazing Tony," Shannon whispered into his ear.

"I's brave. I's stwong. I's proud," Tony spoke until his voice was in a soft whisper. And suddenly the whole day made sense to him. He understood why they would have a parade like this. Why everyone would dress up and get their flags out and why the band would play loud music and the guns would shoot off. It was how the people told all the military that we—as a country are brave. That we're strong. That we're proud. That we're grateful.

The unit marched forward until Jethro was standing even with Tony. Tony was maintaining his salute, still murmuring softly to himself, and he missed the slight nod from Jethro's CO. His little eyes widened and his smile grew at he looked up at his Jethro.

"I's brave. I's stwong. I's proud," Tony said softly, looking right into Jethro's eyes.

Jethro raised his hand in his own salute, his body stiff, in the perfect posture, just as it should be. But his eyes looked down at his little boy. "Me too, son," he whispered. "Me too." Jethro lowered his salute and turned back into the formation of his unit. But he cut his eyes over at Tony, who was watching the whole thing with rapt attention, and Jethro winked. Then the drums started, the music began again, and the CO yelled out something that didn't make any sense to Tony, but got all of the Marines walking again.

Once the unit had passed, Tony finally lowered his salute. He glanced at Shannon, pink cheeked and nervous that he'd made a mistake. Her eyes were glassy and it looked like she might cry. She pulled him into a tight hug and ran her hand over the back of his little head. "My dear sweet Tony," she spoke right into his ear. "How brave you are."

Tony looked at Shannon and smiled shyly. "I learned it from my Jethro," he said softly. "He teached me how a be brave. And we have a job a do," he said.

"We do?" Shannon said, her voice lilting with wonder. "What is our job?"

"If Jethro goes a work and he goes a heaven a cause a his work, then we's apposed a be brave and be stwong. He told me so."

Shannon ducked her head a bit and smiled sadly. "Daddy's a pretty smart fellow. If he says that's our job then I suppose we should listen to him. I think we'd have to work together though, don't you?"

Tony nodded. He looked at Shannon, her hair still looking like it was on fire, people all around still chatting and waving flags, and the parade continued around him. "I like this day," he said softly.

Shannon smiled and ruffled his hair. "Veteran's Day?"

Tony nodded. "Today is a good day. All our friends are here."

"Yes," Shannon said, thinking back over several of their friends who could only join them in spirit on this beautiful autumn day. "Yes, they're all here. Today is a good day. You're absolutely right."

Shannon gathered Tony and Kelly to her, and they bid Myra and Maddie goodbye. Then they walked off down the street to find their Daddy. They were surrounded by all of their friends, the heroes of every time and every place.

And it was a very good day, indeed.

**The End**


End file.
